Bicycle rack

ABSTRACT

A rack for holding a bicycle by either its front or back wheel in an upright position on a floor. The rack includes a bracket which is adapted to be fitted on an elongate support frame. A rotatable lower brace extends outwardly from the bracket and includes spaced-apart arms which terminate in a downwardly extending lip. An upper brace extends generally upwardly from the bracket and includes spaced-apart arms. A bicycle is held on the rack by rolling the bicycle wheel directly into the lip of the lower brace and into and between the arms of the upper and lower braces respectively. A plurality of racks can be slidingly fitted onto a single support frame for holding a plurality of bicycles in spaced-apart relationship.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No.08/905,302 filed on Aug. 1, 1997 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,645.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a bicycle rack and, more particularly, to arack for holding a bicycle by its front or back wheel in an uprightposition on a support surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many types of racks and stands have been used for holding bicycles in aparked upright position. A commonly used stand for holding a bicycle inits normal upright position is the “kick stand”, i.e., a bar swingablymounted to the frame of a bicycle. However, bicycles such as racingbicycles and mountain bicycles are not equipped with kick stands toreduce weight and increase performance. These bicycles are typically“parked” by either laying them flat on their sides or by resting them inan upright position against a wall or the like structure. These parkingmethods often result in damage to the bicycle as when, for example, abicycle slides and falls away from the wall against which it has beenrested.

Several types of stand-alone stands and racks have been used to hold andstore such bicycles. However, a majority of these are bulky and heavystructures which require assembly and need to be permanently secured tothe floor. These racks are generally made to hold numerous bicycles andare not adaptable for holding only one or two bicycles. What is neededis a bicycle rack that is relatively light weight and easy to use as bythe average consumer in his or her garage. The rack should be easilyadaptable to hold as many bicycles as desired.

The present invention provides an inexpensive, light weight, compact andportable bicycle rack which avoids the disadvantages of the variousbicycle stands and racks in use today.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a rack adapted to be fitted on anelongate frame for holding a bicycle by its wheel in a upright positionon a bicycle support surface such as a floor.

The bicycle rack includes a bracket which is adapted to be fitted on theelongate support frame. The rack includes a lower brace member which iscoupled to and extends outwardly from the bracket and an upper bracemember which is coupled to and extends upwardly from the bracket. Thebrace is adapted such that the wheel of the bicycle can be rolled alongthe bicycle support surface directly into the lower brace member forholding the bicycle in its upright position on the bicycle supportsurface.

In one embodiment, the bracket is a rectangularly shaped sleeve fittedonto an elongate rectangularly shaped support frame such as, forexample, an elongate strip of wood, commonly referred to as a 2 by 4,which is seated on the bicycle support surface.

In one embodiment, the lower brace member is rotatable in a horizontalplane relative to the bracket includes a pair of spaced-apart arms whichextend outwardly from the top face of the bracket and terminate in adownwardly extending generally U-shaped lip including a closed endadapted to abut the bicycle support surface.

The upper brace member includes a pair of spaced-apart arms which extendgenerally upwardly from the outer- side face of the bracket and are inalignment with the arms respectively of the lower brace member. Theupper brace member includes a proximal portion where the arms are bentinwardly at an acute angle relative to the bracket and a distal portionwhere the arms are bent outwardly at an obtuse angle relative to theproximal portion.

The present invention affords several advantages. Initially, the sleeveallows a rack or a plurality of racks to be quickly and easily slid ontoan elongate 2 by 4 for holding one or a plurality of differently sizedbicycles in spaced-apart relationship. The sleeve structure allows therack to be used at public parks, schools or other venues such as bicycleraces where several bicycles must be held in place. The sleeve structureallows such a multiple stand-alone rack embodiment to be quickly andeasily disassembled and stored away. Moreover, the sleeve structureallows racks to be mounted on opposite sides of the 2 by 4 for holdingbicycles on both sides of the 2 by 4.

Another advantage of the rack is the lip on the lower brace memberwhich, unlike current racks, allows a bicycle to be rolled directly intothe rack without lifting the bicycle.

An advantage of the upper brace member is that the proximal portionextends inwardly into the spoke area of the bicycle wheel and provides aconvenient structure around which a bicycle lock can be extended to lockthe bicycle to the rack. The outwardly extending distal portion of theupper frame member allows the wheel of the bicycle to be easily liftedupwardly away from the rack where it is preferable to lift the bicycleout of the rack as, for example, where the rack is used in a confinedarea where there is no room to roll the bicycle out of the rack.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomereadily apparent from the following detailed description, the appendeddrawings, and the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of bicycle racks according to theinvention fitted on an elongate support member which, in turn, ismounted to the side of a wall, one of the bicycle racks being shown witha bicycle held therein;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the bicycle racks shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the bicycle rack shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective exploded view of the structure andmethod for securing the support member to a garage wall or the like;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the bicyclerack according to the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged broken, exploded perspective view of an alternateembodiment of the lower brace member and bracket of the bicycle rackaccording to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention disclosed herein is, of course, susceptible of embodimentin may different forms. Shown in the drawings and described hereinbelowin detail are preferred embodiments of the invention. It is to beunderstood, however, that the present disclosure is an exemplificationof the principles of the invention and does not limit the invention tothe illustrated embodiments.

For ease of description, a bicycle rack embodying the present inventionis described as shown in the accompanying drawings where the rack isfitted on a support member which is seated on a generally horizontalsupport surface and terms such as upper, lower, horizontal, vertical,etc., will be used herein with reference to this position as shown inthe drawings.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly, to FIGS. 1-3 ,there is shown therein a bicycle rack 10 constructed in accordance withthe present invention for holding a bicycle 12 in an upright, parkedposition relative to a bicycle support surface such as the floor 13 of agarage or the like.

The rack 10 includes a bracket or hollow sleeve 14 which is slidinglyfitted onto an elongate support member or frame 16 seated on the floor13. A plate 18 secures the support member 16 to a support member 20which, in turn, is secured to the outer face 22 of a wall 24 which maybe a garage wall or the like.

In the embodiment shown, the bracket 14 is preferably made of metal, isgenerally rectangularly shaped, and is adapted to be fitted onto anelongate support member 16 which comprises an elongate rectangularlyshaped strip of wood commonly referred to as a 2 by 4. The bracket 14includes an upper or top face 26, a lower or bottom horizontal face 28and vertical side faces 30 and 32. An aperture 34 preferably extendscentrally through the side face 30 and the side face 32, respectively.The bracket 14 can be of any desired shape, such as circular, forfitting onto a tubular support member such as an elongate metal pipe orthe like.

It is further understood that the structure of bracket 14 is not limitedto a bracket which completely surrounds the support member but extendsto any other type of suitable bracket or clamp structure.

The rack 10 includes a brace 36 which receives the front wheel 38 of thebicycle 12. Although FIG. 1 shows the rack receiving the bicycle's frontwheel 28, it is understood that it can likewise receive the bicycle'sback wheel 39. The brace 36 includes a lower brace member 40 and anupper brace member 42.

In the embodiment shown, the lower brace member 40 is a continuouselongate piece of 0.375 inch (0.937 cm.) diameter metal bar which, asshaped and molded, includes a pair of spaced-apart and horizontallyco-planar arms 44 and 46 with proximal ends 48 and 50 respectivelycoupled to the top face 26 of the bracket 14 as by welding or the like.The arms 44 and 46 extend generally outwardly from the top face 26 ofthe bracket 14 in spaced and parallel relation to the floor 13. The arms44 and 46 preferably terminate in a generally U-shaped lip 52 whichextends unitarily downwardly from the arms 44 and 46 and includes aU-shaped closed end 54 which abuts the floor 13. In the embodimentshown, the lower brace member 40 is preferably made from a round solidmetal bar stock and is approximately 16 inches (40 cm.) in length.

The upper brace member 42 can likewise be a continuous elongate piece of0.375 inch (0.937 cm.) diameter metal bar which, as shaped and molded,includes a pair of spaced-apart and co-planar arms 56 and 58 withproximal ends 60 and 62 respectively coupled to the outer side face 32of the bracket 14 as by welding or the like. The arms 56 and 58 extendgenerally upwardly from the bracket 14 and preferably terminate in agenerally U-shaped closed end 64 unitary with the distal ends of thearms 56 and 58. As best shown in FIG. 3, the upper brace member 42preferably includes a proximal portion 66 where the arms 56 and 58 arebent inwardly at an acute angle relative to the bracket 14 and a distalportion 68 unitary with the proximal portion 66 where the arms 56 and 58are bent outwardly at an obtuse angle relative to the proximal portion66. In the embodiment shown, the upper brace member 42 is alsopreferably made from a round solid metal bar stock, is approximately 21inches (52 cm.) high, and the proximal portion 66 extends inwardly adistance approximately half the length of the lower brace member 40,i.e., approximately 7.375 inches (2.8 cm.).

The arms 44 and 46 of the lower brace member 40 and the arms 56 and 58of the upper brace member 42 are in respective vertical co-planaralignment so that the bicycle wheel 38 can be received therein as shownin FIG. 1. More particularly, the bicycle 12 is rolled along the floor13 towards the rack 10 and the wheel 38 is rolled directly over theclosed end 54 and through the lip 52 of the lower brace member and intoand between the arms 44 and 46 of the lower brace member 40 and the arms56 and 58 of the upper brace member 42. To prevent the scratching of thebicycle wheel 38 upon entry or removal of the bicycle 12 from the rack10, the brace arms 44, 46, 56 and 58 are preferably covered with aplastic or rubber outer layer. Alternatively, the brace arms 44, 46, 56and 58 can be made of a molded or extruded plastic or rubber material.

According to the invention, the lip 52 allows the bicycle 12, and moreparticularly its front or back wheel, to be rolled directly into thelower brace 40 without any lifting of the bicycle 12 or the wheel 38.The inward inclination of the proximal portion 66 of the upper bracemember 42 into the spoke area of the bicycle wheel 38 provides aconvenient structure by which the bicycle 12 can be locked to the rack10. Although not shown, it is understood that the bicycle 12 can belocked to the rack 10 by wrapping a chain or other type of bicycle lockthrough the spokes and around the proximal portion of the arms 56 and58. The outwardly inclined distal portion 68 of the arms 56 and 58allows the bicycle wheel 38 to be easily lifted upwardly away from therack 10 where it is preferable to lift the bicycle 12 out of the rackas, for example, where the rack 10 is used in a confined area wherethere is no room to roll the bicycle 12 out of the rack 10.

The bracket 14 allows a plurality of racks 10 (two of which are shown inFIG. 1) to be easily and quickly slid onto the elongate support member16 and spaced according to either the type and size of the bicyclesbeing held, or the member of bicycles to be held along the supportmember 16. The racks 10 may be positioned on opposite sides of thesupport member 16 as shown in FIG. 1 or, alternatively, on the same sidedepending upon the amount of available space in the area surrounding thesupport member 16.

Once the racks 10 have been appropriately spaced from each other on thesupport member 16, a fastener such as a screw 70 (FIG. 1) or the like isextended through the aperture 34 in the bracket 14 and into the body ofthe support member 16 to releasably secure the rack 10 to the supportmember 16. Although not shown, it is understood that the fastener 70could be substituted with a quick lock/release structure.

Although FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of the present invention where thesupport member 16 is secured to a wall 24, it is understood that thesupport member 16 is usable as a stand-alone support structure. Forexample, the invention encompasses a stand-alone multiple rackembodiment where as many as fifteen of the racks 10 are slid onto andspaced along a support member 16 which is at least thirty feet or morein length for use at public parks, schools or other venues such as abicycle races where more than fifty bicycles may need to be held inplace. The bracket structure allows such a multiple standalone rackembodiment to be quickly and easily assembled, disassembled and storedaway.

FIGS. 1 and 4 depict the method by which the support member 16 issecured to the wall 24. Initially, support member 20 is positionedagainst the wall 24 in spaced and parallel relation to the floor 13.Screws 71 and 73 secure the member 20 to the wall 24. Plate 18 includesapertures 72, 74, 76 and 78 and is positioned on the top of the supportmember 16 such that apertures 72 and 74 are placed in alignment withapertures 80 and 82 respectively in the top of the support member 16.The plate 18 is secured to the support member 16 by a pair of fasteners,such as screws 84 and 86, which extend respectively through theapertures 72 and 74 in the plate 18 and the apertures 80 and 82 in thesupport member 16. A distal portion of the plate 18 extends over thedistal butt end of the support member 16 to allow the plate 18 to besecured to the underside of the support member 20. In particular, theplate 18 is secured to the support member 20 by aligning the apertures76 and 78 in the plate 18 with apertures 88 and 90 respectively in thelower surface 92 of the support member 20. Fasteners, such as screws 94and 96, are extended respectively through the apertures 76 and 78 inplate 18 and then through the apertures 88 and 90 in the support member20 thereby securing the support member 16 to the support member 20.

FIG. 5 depicts an alternate rack embodiment 100 including a bracket 114and a lower brace member 140 similar in structure respectively to thebracket 14 and the lower brace member 40 of the rack 10.

The upper brace member 142 of rack 100 differs in structure from theupper brace member 42 of the rack 10 in that the upper brace member 142includes a pair of spaced apart, co-planar arms 156 and 158 which areshaped in the form of an inverted V. In particular, the upper bracemember 142 includes a proximal portion 166 where the arms 156 and 158are bent inwardly at an acute angle relative to the bracket 114, an apex167, and a distal portion 168 where the arms 156 and 158 are bentdownwardly at an acute angle relative to the proximal portion 166. Thearms 156 and 158 terminate in a generally U-shaped lip 163 including aU-shaped closed end 164 which respectively abut against the lip 152 andthe closed end 154 of the lower brace member 140.

Although not shown, it is understood that a bicycle is rolled directlyover the closed ends 164 and 154 and through the lips 163 and 152respectively of the upper and lower brace members 142 and 140 and intoand between the respective arms thereof for holding a bicycle in anupright position.

The inverted V structure of the upper brace member 142 provides aconvenient arm structure around which a bicycle lock can be wrapped tosecure the bicycle to the rack.

FIG. 6 is a broken perspective view of an alternate embodiment of therack of the present invention including a lower brace member 240 whichis similar in structure to the lower brace member 40 of the rack 10depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 except that a flat plate 272, which can bemade of steel or the like material, is secured as by welding or the liketo the underside of the proximal ends 248 and 250 of the spaced-apartand horizontally co-planar arms 244 and 246. The plate 272 extendsbetween the arms 244 and 246 and particularly includes a firstlongitudinal side edge 274 secured to the underside of the proximal end248 of the arm 244 and an opposed second longitudinal side edge 276secured to the underside of the proximal end 250 of the arm 246. Theplate 272 includes an upper face 278 to which the arms 244 and 246 aresecured and a lower face 280. The plate 272 further includes a pluralityof apertures 282 which extend through the top and bottom faces 278 and280 and are arranged on the plate 272 in a spaced-apart, circularrelationship. The apertures 282 are located between the respective sideedges 274 and 276 of the plate 272 between the respective arms 244 and246 of the brace member 240.

The bracket 214 is similar in structure to the bracket 14 of the rack 10depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 except that the bracket 214 includes two studsor screws or the like fasteners 284 and 286 respectively which aresecured to and extend outwardly from the top face 226 thereof. In theembodiment shown, the studs 284 and 286 are spaced apart from each otherand centrally disposed on the face 226.

The use of a plate 272 and studs 284 and 286 in accordance with thisalternate embodiment allows the lower brace member 240 to be removablysecured to the bracket 214. Additionally, the circular arrangement ofthe apertures 282 in the plate 272 advantageously allows the lower bracemember 240 to be swivelled or rotated either clockwise orcounterclockwise in a horizontal plane relative to the bracket 214 andsecured thereto in a relationship relative to the bracket 214 other thanthe perpendicular relationship depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In accordance with this embodiment, the studs 284 and 286 are spacedapart from each other so as to allow the same to extend through two ofthe corresponding diametrically opposed apertures 282 in the plate 272when the lower face 280 of the plate 272 is brought into abuttingrelationship with the top face 226 of the bracket 214. A pair of wingnuts 288 and 290 are fastened to the studs 284 and 286 respectively tosecure the brace member 240 to the bracket 214. The two correspondingdiametrically opposed apertures 284 selected by the user determine theangle at which the brace member 240 will be oriented and positionedrelative to the bracket 214.

The foregoing specification and drawings are to be taken as illustrativebut not limiting of the present invention. Still other rackconfigurations and embodiments utilizing the spirit and scope of thepresent invention are possible, and will readily present themselves tothose skilled in the art.

I claim:
 1. A rack for holding a bicycle by its front or back wheel inan upright position and adapted to be fitted on an elongate supportframe, the rack comprising: a hollow sleeve adapted to be fitted on theelongate support frame, said sleeve including a top face and an outerface; and a lower brace including a pair of spaced-apart arms includingproximal ends coupled to and extending generally outwardly from a platewhich is removably securable to said sleeve and terminating in adownwardly extending lip including a closed end, the lower brace beingadjustable with said plate in a horizontal side-to-side relationshiprelative to the sleeve. wherein said plate includes a plurality ofapertures arranged thereon and a pair of studs extend outwardly fromsaid top face- of said sleeve and adapted to extend through a selectedpair of said apertures in said plate when the plate is brought intoabutting relationship with said top face of said sleeve.
 2. The rack ofclaim 1 wherein said plurality of apertures are arranged on said platein a spaced-apart, circular relationship and a pair of fasteners areadapted to be fastened to said studs for removably securing said plateand said lower brace member to said sleeve.